Lod? Where in God’s Earth is that?

Lod? Where in God’s Earth is that?

For many hundreds of years, the city was the primary settlement of the Jewish population after the rebellion against the Romans, and later on, a center for the Christian population, that still lives there today.

A visit to the old city will bring you face to face with many impressive buildings, most of which were built over the past two centuries, but the crowning glory is, of course, the Church of Saint George, that was destroyed on multiple occasions, but was rebuilt, each time, owing to the steeled courage and fearlessness of the city’s surviving Christian population. The church is orthodox and is especially favored by the Armenian community who come from all over the world to visit.

According to the tradition that came about during the Byzantine period, Saint George was born in Lod. George was a soldier in the Roman army that took the Christian mantle upon himself. In the year 302, the Roman Emperor Diocletian issued a warrant against Christians. George was ordered to take part in the subjugation of the Christians, but instead, he declared that he was a Christian and criticized the Emperor. Diocletian tried to force George to change his religion, but George defied the Emperor, who ordered his death by torture as a traitor. After his death, George was buried in Cappadocia, and in the 5th century, his head was brought to Lod and buried there. From that time and until today, the city has become a destination for Christian pilgrims.

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In the Catholic tradition, the entire month of May is devoted to the Virgin Mary and the faithful congregate for daily prayers to her. The Visitation recalls the meeting of the two future Mothers: the Virgin Mary and Elizabeth, mother of John the Baptist. The feast and the afternoon procession mark the end of this month of prayer.

Highlights of the feast
Jerusalem, Ein Kerem and the Old City - The Catholic Church of the Visitation is located in Ein Kerem, on a hill slope above the Ein Kerem spring. In the morning, a Mass is celebrated in the church of the Visitation. In the afternoon, a procession honoring the Virgin Mary marches through the Christian quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem.

This day commemorates the finding of the True Cross in Jerusalem by St. Helena, the mother of Constantine the Great, in the 4th century CE.

Highlights of the feast

Jerusalem, Church of the Holy Sepulchre, in the Chapel of the Finding of the Cross:
On the eve of the feast (6.5) Vespers are sung. On the day of the feast (7.5), Mass is celebrated, followed by a solemn procession through the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, led by the Custos holding a relic of the Holy Cross.

This day commemorates the finding of the True Cross in Jerusalem by St. Helena, the mother of Constantine the Great, in the 4th century CE.

Highlights of the feast

Jerusalem, Church of the Holy Sepulchre, in the Chapel of the Finding of the Cross:
On the eve of the feast (6.5) Vespers are sung. On the day of the feast (7.5), Mass is celebrated, followed by a solemn procession through the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, led by the Custos holding a relic of the Holy Cross.